Receptacle and closure cap therefor



Sept. 10, 1940. R. K. MINER RECEPTACLE AND CLOSURE CAP THEREFOR 2 Sheets-Sheef 1 Filed July 27. 1957 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Sept. '10. 1940. R. K. MINERV- 2,214,2s5

RECEPTACLE AND CLOSURE CAP THEREFOR Filed July 27, 1937 2 sheets-sheet 2 ATTORNEYS Patented Sept. 10, 1940 UNITED "STATES .RECEPTACLE AND CLOSURE CAP THEREFOR Ralph K. Miner, Oriskany Falls, N. Y., assignor to Cherry-Burrell Corporation, Wilmington, Del.,

, a corporation Application July 27, 1937, Serial No. 155,882

-This invention relates more particularlyv to improvements in bottle or receptacle closures of that type in which the receptacle is tightly closedor sealed by a cap of thin, pliable mate-- 5 "rial, such as metal run, which is adapted to be" molded in place on the receptacle, as bypressure, so as to provide the cap with parts which conform to or cooperate with parts of the receptacle, whereby the cap is held tightly'against the receptacle rim, or other sealing part thereof, so as to seal the receptacle, but is adapted to be removed for opening the receptacle. Joint application for United States patent Serial No. 110,498, filed Nov. 12, 1936, by Loomis, Burrell bottle contents, while nevertheless enabling ready removal of the cap; which enables reuse of the cap for again closing or sealing the bottle after it has been once opened; in which the cap can be removed and again used on the'bottle for tightly closing or sealing it, but in which the initial removal of the cap rupturesit or alters its appearance, and thereby clearly shows that the bottle has been tampered with or opened,

without however deforming or mutilating the cap so as to prevent its reuse for tightly close 1 ing or sealing the bottle; which has certain practical advantages over the construction illustrated in said joint application; and also to produce a receptacle closure having the features of improvement and advantage hereindescribed and setforth in the claims.

The accompanying drawin g s-f'illustrate several.

different embodiments of my invention. In said drawings: a

Fig. 1 is an elevation, enlarged,,of--theupper portion of a bottle with cap in sealing position thereon, showing oneembodiment.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary, vertical section there;- of on line 2-2, Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is-an elevation ofthe removed from the bottle.

(m after bein 26 ated scale on line |4, Fig. 1.

Fig. 41s a. sectional plan view on anexagger- Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing a modification.

Fig. 6 is a sectional plan viewthereof on line, 66,- Fig. 5. f

Fig. 7 is 'a'view, similar to Fig. 1, of another, modification. Fig. 8isasectional' plan view thereof on line 8 -8, 7 1

Fig. 9-is a view, similar to Fig. .1, of a third modificatiom] v g Fig. 10 isfa top plan view thereof, partly in section.

It) represents the upper or mouth end portion" of a bottle, and II a cap for covering and closing or sealing the mouth of the bottle. The bottle is shouldered or threaded externally, preferably near its mouth or rim, for engagement. with a shouldered or threadedformation on the cap for holding the cap tightly against the rim or other suitable portion of the bottle, so as to seal or tightly close the latter. The bottle andflcap shoulders may be in the form of continuous screw threads I2 and i3 respectively, which extend cir-j cumferentially of the bottle'and cap andpreferably completely encircle the same, with the opposite ends of each thread overlapping, as shown in Fig. 1; or the bottle may be of other shouldered formation adapted to engagewith a cooperating shouldered formation of the cap, whereby the cap is releasably held tightly-infsealing re lation on the bottle, but can be removed by turning or moving it in away to disengage the coop-' erating threads or shoulders of the cap and hottle. Multiple or plural threads or shoulders may be used, and'if so, one end of each thread or shoulder preferably overlaps the opposite end of the next thread or shoulder, so as to give holding engagement between the cap and bottle; completely encircling the bottle mouth. This will ensure that the portions of the cap and bottlewhich are intendedto'contact to seal the bottle will be held firmly in rintactwith. each other uninterruptedly completely around the bottle mouth, and thus prevent looseness between said sealing portions at any point that might permit leakage from the bottle. r v

In addition to such shouldered formations which hold the cap in sealing relation on the the bottle is also formed with a locking face or shoulder I5 which, by engagement witha cooperating shoulder or part It of the cap, opposes the turning or movement of the cap that is .neces sary for disengaging said cap-holding threads or Y shoulders in order to remove the viap, and therebottle and are disengaged for removing the cap,

? to show its position in relation to the depressions and locking faces. 7

This locking face is abrupt or extends substantially radially of the bottle neck and forms a relatively sharp edge or corner I8 at the juncture of its outer end with the outer edge or face of the thread I2. The locking part functions best if it is relatively deep radially, and the desired radial depth thereof may be obtained by making the depression or gap I1 and face I5 deeper than the thread or shoulder I! to absorb the excess metal foil of that portion of the cap skirt which normally would have been placed over the top of a thread at the position of the locking gap, therebysecuring a straight lower .edge on the cap in the molding operation and enabling a partial drawing orstretching of the metal foil over the sharp corner at the end of the thread forming the locking face to rupture the foil slightly at that point. The other end I9 of the depression may slope or recede in a direction outwardly away from the locking face I5. Such slopingof theend I9 fa-v cilitates the molding of the bottle, since the locking face I5 can be maderadial, or even undercut somewhat, and a short depression Il used,

if the end I9 thus slopes so as to moraine clearance necessary to allow the part of the bottle mold that forms the depression to withdraw therefrom when opening the mold.

In the embodiment of the invention 'shown in" Figs. 5 an d 6, the bottle has two depressions I'Ia forming two of the locking faces I5a,,which face oppositely or towards each other and are thus adapted, by engagement with. two cooperating parts Ilia of the cap to oppose the turning of the cap in both directions. I

Instead of forming the bottle with two depres -r 'sions, each having an abrupt and a sloping end,

it can be made, as shown in Figs. '7 and 8, with a single depression I'Ib, having both ends abrupt to form opposing locking faces I5b, provided the depression is long enough and disposed so that it extends across a radial line perpendicular to the 'diametrical parting line of the mold in which the bottle is made. Such location of the'depression will enable'the .part of the mold that forms the depression to be withdrawn therefrom when opening the mold. The parting line of the bottle mold is indicated in Figs. 6 and 8,

The cap II may be made from metal foil or other analogous or suitable, thin, pliable material, such that the skirt or flange of the cup: shaped cap, which surrounds the shouldered or threaded part of the bottle, can be molded or shaped, as by pressure, toconform to the surface contour of said shouldered or threaded part,

thus providing the cap skirt with shoulders or parts complemental to or engaging the shouldered parts of the bottle to hold the cap on the bottle. For example, caps suitable for use with milk bottles can be made from aluminum foil of a thickness from about-two to about four thousandths of an inch, and will properly seal the bottles without need for any paper or other internal sealing disk, gasket or lining. In the operation of capping a filled bottle with my improved cap, according to the preferred practice, a cap previously formed in cup shape with a plain, peripheral flange or skirt is placed over the end of the bottle, and its skirt is then compressed 6 or shoulder I3 and a locking boss or part I6 for each depression Ilfitting and engaging respectively the thread I2 and gap or depression ll of the bottle; a

In thus molding the cap on the bottle, a circumferential portion of the skirt is drawn under the lower edge of the bottle thread and this draws the cap down tight against the top face and outer corner edge of -the bottle rim, thereby producing a tight closure of the bottle which seals'the' same against leakage of its contents. Since the thread I2 extends a complete turn or more around the bottle end, the capwill be drawn tightly against the bottle rim and. the under edge, of the thread throughout the .complete circumference of the end, thus insuring a reliable sealing of the bottle. I

The inwardly projecting boss or part I6 of the, cap'which occupies the depression ll of the bottle and engages the locking face I5, acts tolock the cap against accidental or unintentional-turnme On the bottle so as to loosen it and break the seal between the bottle and the cap. However, the cap canbe turned or unscrewed to disengage the cap and bottle threads or shoulders, by hand, without the usev of a tool, simply by applying sufficient turning force to the cap, and thus causing the locking face I5 to rupture or tear ,the boss I6, as indicated in-Fig. 4. The ruptured or deformed boss I6 can ,passthe locking shoulder and permit the unscrewing and removal of thecap. j v By making each locking face I5 abrupt or. approximately radial or even undercut, in accordance with Figs. 6,7 and 8 hereof and with a relatively sharp edge or corner I8 at the juncture thereof with the outer edge of the thread or shoulder I2 of the bottle, thissharp comer will act, when pressing the cap, skirt over the" same in molding or sealing the cap on the bottle, to slightly break or cut the contacting corner of the cap boss, as shown at 20, Fig. 4. The cut or break 20,.it will be understood, results from pressing the thin,"fragi le foil of the skirt over. the sharp corner I8 in molding'the skirt to the bottle, and'is not'made by a separate or previous operation on the cap. In practice, this cut'or break 20 in the cap is veryminute and is barely perceptible, but it facilitates the tearing or rupturing of the locking boss I6 when force is applied to turn the capon the bottle, and'thu's' insures that in removing the cap, its locking boss or part will be'tornor ruptured and make a-' conspicuous hole or opening in the cap which will clearly show that the bottle has been opened. Such breaking or cutting of the skirt of the'cap is not absolutely essential to the intended rupturing of the locking bossof the cap when removing the cap, provided the locking face I5 of the bottle is sufficiently abrupt orangular, because the fragile nature of the foil or material of; which the cap is made enables the abrupt locking face I5 to tumor rupture the cap boss ll 2,214,255 i i i 3 l 6 when turning force is applied to the cap. How: ever, the described slight cutting or breaking of the skirt of the cap at this point will better insure that the cap cannot be removed without rupturing or tearing the locking boss of the cap on, and thereby moreor less deforming or oblit.

crating the locking boss of the cap so that it might possibly pass the locking shoulder I5 without the intended rupturing or tearing of the same when the cap is thereafter turned in the: opposite direction for iemoving it, This might possibly occur with a bottle having only one looking face, and in which the endof the locking depression opposite the locking face is sloping instead of abrupt, as shown in Fig. 4. When the bottle has oppositely directed locking faces, one locking-part of the cap will be ruptured or torn if the cap is forcibly turned in onedirection, and the other locking part will be ruptured or torn if the cap is turned in the opposite direc-, tion, thus insuring a tell taleopening in the", cap no matter whether the cap is removed as' intended or is first screwed tighter on the ome in an attempt to free its locking boss from the loeking'shoulder of the bottlewithout rupturing the boss.

the improvements have been shown in construc-' tions in which the cap is held inisealing contact with the bottle by a singlescrew thread on the cap engaging a single, continuous screw thread" on the bottle. However, the improvements are not restricted to such constructions. For exam ple, the bottle and'cap may be made with plural threads or shoulders instead of asingle thread or shoulder for elfecting the releasable holding of the cap in sealing contact with the bottle. As shown in Figs. 9 and 10, the bottle'is made'with three threads [2a, 12b and I20, one starting just before the parting line of the bottle mold, and

the other two starting at points spaced 120' de-1 makes a complete turn around the bottle end and extends below the bottom edge of the cap, while the cap has a corresponding number of open ended threads.

In such multiple thread construction, as in the constructions, previously described, the cap is formed with one or more locking bosses or parts which,by engagement with one or more'locking shoulders on the bottle, oppose the loosening or removal of the cap, but are adapted to be torn or ruptured for removing the cap, by forcibly turning the cap. Figs. 9 and 10, for instance,

show a depression Ilc in the bottle interruptingone ofthe threads and providing opposed looking shoulders I50 at'its opposite ends with which the opposite ends of the depressed locking boss or part I60 of the cap engages so as to oppose turning of the capin'either direction. The look ing shoulders may have sharp corners to slightly:

break or cutthe cap boss and insure lthatlthe boss willbe ruptured or torn and a tell-tale open;

ing made in the cap in removing it, and the cap may be molded on. the bottle toformj the cap,

threads and locking boss, all as before explained.

' Each of theconstructions described provides a locking part on the cap which is ruptured or so altered by removing the cap as to clearly "show that the cap has been removed or tampered with while nevertheless the removal 'of the capdoes not deform or obliteratetheholdingthreads or parts of the cap, which remain intact, so that the cap can be reused toptightly close the ,bottle by' screwing it thereon likean ordinary screw cap.

I claim as my invention:

1'. A bottle or the like provided adjacent its mouth with .an external screw .thread'and an abrupt locking shoulder transverse to the circume ferential direction of said screw thread and have ing a sharp outer corner, in combination with a removable cap having a skirt of thin'pliable .j but fragile material which ,is molded on the threaded and looking shoulder parts of the bottle to form the skirt with a screwthread that. engages the bottle thread for securing the-cap in sealing relation on the bottle and alsojwith 'an" integral locking boss which by engaging, said look ing' shoulder opposes the turningof the cap on thebottle but which byr'eason of said'thin fragilecharacter of the skirt is ruptured by said locking shoulder and unlocks the cap solely byforcibly turning the cap by the unaided handin the di-,

rection to unscrew it and thereby allo'ws'thecap to be unscrewed," the molding of the cap. skirt As illustrated in Figs. 1 to 8- of the drawings, a

over (said sharp' corner of said lockingshoulder making an inconspicuousbreak in the'fsk'irt at;

said corner only whichfacilitates said rupturing of said locking boss, said rupturingof said lock;

ing boss making a tell-tale mutilation in the-eap skirt but. leaving said screw thread of the eap skirt intact, whereby the cap can be again screwed on the bottle to tightly close it. v

2. A bottle or the like provided adjacent its mouth with an external cap-securing shoulder, and an abruptlocking shoulder transverse to the circumferential direction of said cap-securing shoulder and having a'sharp outer corner, in

the cap in sealing relation on the bottle and also,

with an integral locking boss which by engaging said locking shoulder opposes" theturning of the capv on the bottle, said bottle and cap securing shoulders being constructed to bedisengaged for removing the cap andto engage for again securing the cap by turning the cap on the bottle, andsaid boss by reason of the fragile character of the skirt ruptured by said locking shoulder and unlocking the cap solely by forcibly turning the cap by the unaided hand in the direction to release the cap and thereby allow the removal of the cap, the molding of the cap skirt overvsaid" sharp corner of said lockingjshoulder making an inconspicuous break in the skirt at said corner only, said skirt when molded on the bottle being of substantially uniform strength throughout except at said break, and said rupturing of said locking boss making a tell-tale'openirig' in the I skirt but leaving said securing shoulder of the skirtintact, whereby the cap can'be" again "secured on the bottleto tightly close it by turning the cap on the bottle.

- a. A'bottle or the like provided adjacent its mouth with an external cap-securing shoulder,- and oppositely directed abrupt: locking faces transverse to the circumferential direction of said shoulder, in combination with a removable 7 cap whichhas a skirt of thin fragile material formed with a shoulder that engages said bottle shoulder for securing the cap in sealing relation on the bottle, said bottle and cap-securing shoulders be ing constructed to be disengaged for removing the cap and to engage for again securing the cap by turning thecapon the bottle, and the skirt of v u said removable-cap being of substantially uni form strength throughout prior to securing the cap on the bottle and having integral locking ,parts which by saidflocking'facesfoppose the turning 'of'the, cap in eitherdirection on the bottle, but one of which lockingparts by" reason of said thinff'ragile .of the skirt is rupturedfby'the associatedlocking'face' and unlocks the cap solely by applying turning, force by the unaided hand to the cap in a direction 5 to disengage the shoulders of the cap and bottle andthereby allows the capto be removed, and the other of which locking parts iis" similarly ruptured by the otherlocking'face by'opposite turning of the cap, said rupturing of either of said lockingparts making a tell-tale mutilation in the cap skirt, but leavingsaid securing shoulderv of the cap intact, whereby the cap can be secured onthe bottle to t ghtly close it by turning-the cap onthe' botttle. a 3 a 4. A bottle or the like provided adjacent its mouth with an external screw thread having oppositely directed abrupt locking faces extending across said screw thread.'in'combination with a removable cap whichha-s a'skirt of thin fragile materialformed with'a screw thread that engages said bottle threadfor the capin sealing relationon the bottle, and the skirt of saidremovable cap havingintegral locking parts which one of which locking parts by reason ofsaid thin fragilecharacter'of the skirt is ruptured by the associated locking face and unlocks the cap solely by applying turning force by the unaided hand 50 to the cap in a direction to unscrew it and thereby allows the cap to be removed. and theqther of which locking parts is similarly ruptured by the other locking face by opposite turning of the cap, said rupturing of either of saidlocking parts Y 55 making a tell-tale mutilation in the cap skirt but strength throughout which is molded on the I threaded part of the bottleto form the skirt with ascrewthread that engages the bottle thread for securing the cap in sealing relation on the bottle and also with an integral locking boss which occopies said depression and by engaging. said locking faces opposes the turning of thecap in either I direction onthe bottle, but whichlocking .boss

Quill rupturedbyeone of'saidJocking faces and unby engaging said locking faces oppose the turning of the cap in either direction on the bottle, but

locks the cap solely by forcibly turning the cap by the unaided hand in the direction to unscrew it and thereby allows the removal of the cap, and is also similarly ruptured by the other locking face by opposite turning of the cap,said ruptur 5 ing of saidlocking boss making a tell-tale opening in the cap skirt, but leaving said screw thread of the skirt intact, whereby the'capcan be again screwed on the bottle to tightly close it.

6. In combination, abottle or the like provided 0 adjacent'its mouth with an external screwthread,

a. locking depression interrupting said thread and of greater depth than said thread, an abrupt locking face having a sharp outer corner and being transverse to the circumferential direction 15 of said thread and defining one end of said de-v pression and formed by anend of said interrupted thread at the point of interruption, and a removable cap having a skirt of thin, pliable but fragile material which is placed in unregistered m position over the mouth of the bottle and is molded in the capping Operation onto the threaded portion ofthe bottle and over the locking depression in said threadand overIthe sharp corneredflocking face forming an end wall of said .a

depression, said molding operation forming said cap skirt with a screw thread that engages the threadedportion of said bottle for securing the cap'in' sealing relation on the bottle and also slightly rupturing said cap skirt over the said a sharp corner in the forming ofan integral cap locking boss engaging said locking face to oppose the turning of said cap upon thevbottle, the moldv ingoftthe cap skirt over said sharp corner making only an inconspicuous tear in said skirt at I said corner, whereby the cap may be loosened for removal by forcibly turning the cap by the unaided hand in the direction to unscrew it, thereby rupturing saidlocking boss by reason of the thin,-fragile' character of the cap, skirt in 40 passing oversaid sharp corner,.making a telltale mutilation in said cap skirt by enlarging the inconspicuous tear or slight rupture made in said cap skirt by said sharp corner during the capping operation but leaving said screw thread of the a cap skirt intact to enable the subsequent temporary reuse of said cap. e j

7 In combination, a bottle provided with an external, circumierentially extending closure cap securing screw wthread, anabrupt locking face 0 havinga sharp outer corner formed by an end of said cap securing .screw thread and being transversely dispossed to-the'circumferential direction of said cap securing screw thread, and a removable cap having a skirt of thin, pliable but u,

fragile material which is of substantially uniform strength throughout and is placed in unregistered position over, the mouth of]. the bottle and is molded in the capping operation onto the threaded portion ofthe bottle and over the sharp cornered locking face formed by the end of said thread, said molding operation forming said'cap skirt with a screw thread that engages the threaded portion of said bottle for securing the cap in sealed relationon the .bottle and also a slightly rupturing said cap skirt over said sharp corner in the formingof an integral cap locking boss engaging said locking face to oppose the turning of said cap upon thebottle, the molding of said cap skirt over said sharp corner making 70 a only an inconspicuous tear in-the skirt at said, corner, whereby the cap may be loosened for removal by forcibly turning the cap by the unaided hand in the direction to unscrew it,'thereby rupturing said locking boss byreason of the II thin, fragile character of the cap skirt in passing over said sharp corner, making a tell-tale mutilation in the said cap skirt by enlarging the inconspicuous tear or slight rupture made in the cap skirt by said sharp comer during the capping operation but leaving said screw thread of the cap skirt intact to enable the subsequentte'mporary reuse of said cap.

8. In combination, a bottle provided adjacent its mouth with an-external, circumferentially extending cap. securing screw thread, a locking depression interruptingsaid thread and of greater depth than said thread, abrupt locking .iaces having sharp outer "corners and being transverse to the circumferential direction of said thread and defining the ends of said depression and formed by the ends of said interrupted thread at the point of interruption, and a removable cap having a skirt of thin, pliable but fragile material which is of substantially uniform strength throughout and is placed inunregistered position over the mouth of the bottle and is molded in the capping operation onto the threaded portion of the bottle and over the locking depression in.

said thread and over the sharp cornered locking faces forming the end walls of said depression, said molding operation forming said cap skirt with a screw thread that engages the threaded portion of said bottle for securing the cap in sealing relation on the bottle and also slightly rupturing said cap skirt over said sharp corner in the forming of an integral. cap locking boss engaging said locking face to oppose the turning of said cap upon the bottle, the molding of the cap skirt over said sharp corner making only an inconspicuous tear in the skirt at said corner, whereby the cap may be loosened for removal by forcibly turning the cap by the unaided hand in the direction to unscrew it, thereby rupturing said locking boss by reason of the thin, fragile A character'of the cap skirt in passing over said sharp corner, making a tell-tale mutilation in said cap skirt by enlarging the inconspicuous tear or slight rupture made in the cap skirt by said sharp comer during the capping operation but leaving said screw thread of the cap skirt intact to enable the subsequent temporary reuse of said cap.

9. In combination, a bottle or the like provided adjacent its mouth with an external, interrupted screw thread having abrupt locking faces with sharp outercorners disposed at the opposite ends of said interruption and extending across said screw thread transverse to the circumferential direction thereof, and a removable metal foil cap having a skirt of thin, pliable but fragile material which is placed in unregistered position over the mouth of the bottle and is formed during the capping operation with a complementary screw thread that engages the screw thread on said bottle for securing the cap in sealing relation on the bottle and also slightly rupturing said cap skirt oversaid sharp corners in the forming of an integral cap loclcing boss engaging said locking faces to oppose the turning of the cap'in either direction on the bottle, the molding of the cap skirt of substantially uniform strength throughout over said sharp outer comers of the locking faces making only an inconspicuous tear in the skirt at said corners, whereby the. cap may be loosened for removal by forcibly turning the cap in the direction of unscrewing it, thereby rupturing one end of said locking boss by reason of the thin, fragile character of the cap skirt in passing over the sharp corner in the unscrewing of the cap and the other end of said locking boss may be similarly ruptured by the sharp corner of the other locking face by turning the cap in the opposite direction, said rupturing making a tell-tale mutilation in said cap skirt by enlarging the inconspicuous tears or slight ruptures made in the cap skirt by said sharp comers during the capping operation but leaving said screw thread of the cap skirt intact to enable the subsequent temporary reuse of said cap. r

10. In combination, a bottle or the like provided adjacent its mouth with an external, circumferentially extending screw thread interrupted by a locking depression of greater depth than said thread, said depression being defined at its ends by abrupt locking faces, each having a sharp outer corner and comprising the adjacent ends of the interrupted thread, said locking faces being disposed perpendicularly to the parting line of the mold used in the formation of the bottle and transversely to the circumferential direction of said screw thread, whereby to enable the ready withdrawal of the bottle from the mold in the forming operation, and a removable metal foil cap having a skirt of thin,'pliable but fragile material which is of substantially uniform strength throughout and is placed in unregistered position .over the mouth of the bottle and is molded in the capping operation onto the threaded portion of the bottle or the like and over the. locking depression in said thread and over the sharp corners of the locking faces forming the ends of said depression, said molding operation forming said cap skirt with a screw thread that engages the threaded portion of said bottle for securing the cap in sealing relation to the bottle and also slightly rupturing said cap skirt over said sharp corners in the forming of an integral cap locking boss engaging said locking faces to oppose the turning of said cap upon the bottle, the molding of the cap skirt over said sharp corners making only in-l conspicuous tears in the skirt at said corners, whereby the cap may be loosened for removal by forcibly turning the cap by the unaided hand in the direction to unscrew it, thereby rupturing one end of said locking boss by reason of the thin, fragile character of the cap skirt in passing over one of said sharp corners in the unscrewing of the cap; the-other end of said looking depression may be similarly ruptured by rotating the cap on the bottle in the opposite dicap skirt by providing means for the uniform distribution of equal portions of the cap skirt during the forming operation by stretching the same either over an outwardly extending thread or depressing the same into an inwardly extending depression.

, RALPH K. AMER. 

